Styles Of Mountain Bikes
A Mountain bike should always have a proper full suspension system. It is important because it helps absorb the shock when going over rugged terrain and helps to provide a smoother ride. You will find that full suspension bikes have both a front and back suspension. If a mountain bike has a solid rear fork and a suspension at the front they are often called hard tailed. Lower end models of mountain bikes do not have a shock system either in the front or rear of the bike.
Mountain bikes with both descending and climbing ability are usually ideal for cross country riders. The movement in the rear suspension system is only about 4 inches so that it does not cause a problem when trying to climb hills. When travelling over different terrain a greater number of gears are require to make it easier to navigate, because of this most cross country mountain bikes have 28 gears.
If you are a more technical mountain bike rider you will probably need a trial bike as they are a little more robust. The movement in the suspension can be between 4 inches and 7 inches. This will mean that you get a lot smoother ride but it is more difficult to pedal uphill. You will need to decide whether it is worth having a smoother ride against the struggle of pedalling uphill. Additional information can be found online at Trek Track Bikes.
Specific downhill mountain bikes can expect up to 8 inches in suspension movement. It is these type of mountain bikes which are specifically designed for racing downhill. A downhill bike with more movement in the suspension is easier to control going downhill but a lot more difficult to pedal going uphill.
Mountain bikes come in different shapes, sizes and types and another popular version is the dirt jump bike. A dirt jump bike are used for jumping and only have a front suspension. These type of bikes are built for speed and usually come with 16 gears.